Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-01

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wonder-it is a sad story
':Perhaps," said Sir Henry, the heroic
blood of your grandfather will triumph
after all; perhaps you will still be great
'Greatr' replied the little Frenchman,
sadly. Il am already great Iembody the
genius of France. Yes, II with nv straw
But will my greatness be recognized? That
is the question:
eve shall see," said Sir Henry. sAnd I
vote we go to bed. l am dead tired, and
we had not much sleep on that COMPOUNDED
rock last night"
And so we did; and very strange the tidy
| rooms and clean white sheets seemed to us
after our recent experiences.
CHAPTER v.-UMsLoPoGAAs MAKES A PRO
MISE.
Next morning at breakfast missed FIos-
sic and asked where she was.
"Well," said her mother, 'when / got
| up this morning | found a note put outside
my door in which-Well, here it is, you
can read it for YOURSELF" and she gave me
the slip of paper on which the following
was written:
DEAREST M: 1t is just dawn, and
am off to the hills to get Mr.. O. bloom
of the lily he wants; so don't expect me till
you see me. | have taken the white DON
key; and nurse and a couole of BOYS are
coming with me-aIso something TO eat, as
| may be away all day, as I am etermined
to get the lily if [ have to go twenty miles
for it, FLOSSIE."
II hope she will be all right" [ said, a
little anxiously; II never meant her to
trouble after the flower"
''Ah, F1Ossie can look after herself said
her mother; Sshe often goes off in this
way, like true daughter of the wilder
ness" But Mr.. Mackenzie, who came in
just then and saw the note for the first
time, looked rather grave, though he said
nothing.
After breakfast was over took him aside
and asked him if it would not be possible
to send after the girl and get her back,
having in view the possibility of there still
being some Nasal hanging about, at whose
hands she might come to harm.
II fear it would be of no use," he an
swered. ''She may be fifteen miles off by
now, and it is impossible to say what path
she has taken. There are the hills" and
he pointed to long range of rising ground
stretching almost parallel with the course
followed by the river Tana, but gradually
sloping down to dense bush-clad plain
about five miles short Of the house.
Here [ suggested that we might get up
the great tree over the house and search
the country round with a spy-glass; and
this after Mr.. Mackenzie had given some
orders to his people to try and follow Flos-
sizes spoor, we proceeded to do.
The ascent of the mighty tree was rather
a jumpy performance, even with q sound
rope ladder fixed at both ends to climb up,
at least to a landSman; but Good came up
like lamplighter.
On reaching the height on which the
first fern-shaped boughs sprang from the
bole, we stepped without any difficulty up
on a platform made of boards, nailed from
one bough to another, and large enough to
accommodate dozen people. AS for the
view it was simply glorious. In every di-
rection the bush rolled away in great bill
lows for miles and miles, as far as the glass
would show, only here and there broken
by the brighter green of patches of Guilt
walton, or by the glittering surfaces of
lakes To the northwest, Kenia reared
his mighty head, and we could trace the
Tana river, curling like a silver snake al
most from his feet, and far away beyond
us toward the ocean. 1t is a glorious coun-
try, and only wants the hand of civilized
man to make it a most productive one.
But look as we would, we could see no
signs of Flossie and her donkey; so at last
had to come down disappointed. On reach
ing the veranda found Umslopogaas sit
ting there; slowly and lightly sharpening
his ak with small milestone he always
carried with him
what doest thou, Umslopogaas?" I
asked.
II smell blood" was the answer; and I
could get no more out OF him.
After dinner we again went up the tree
and searched the surrounding country
with spy-glass; but without result When
we came down UmslOpogaas was still
sharpening 'Inkosikaasi," although she
had already an edge like razor. Standing
in front of him. and regarding him with a
mixture of fear and fascination, was AL
phOnse. And certainly he did seem an
alarming object sitting there, Zulu fash
ion, on his launches, a wild sort Of look
upon his intensely savage and yet intel
lectual face, sharpening, sharpening, sharp
ening at the Misunderstanding AK.
ooh, the monster, the horrible man!''
said the little French cook, lifting his hands
in amazement. "See but the hole in his
forehead; the skin beats up and down like
baby's! Who would nurse such a baby?"
and he burst out laughing at the idea.
For a moment Umslopogaas looked up
from his sharpening, and a sort of evil
light played in his dark eyes.
What does the little sbuffalo-heifer' $50
named by Umslopogaas, on account of his
mustachios and feminine characteristics
say? Let him be careful, or [ will cut his
horns. Beware, little man-mOnkey-be-
warel''
Unfortunately Alphonse, who was get
ting over his fear Of him, went on laughing
at see dTOle dam monsieur 7tOirn [ was
about to warn him to desist, when sudden
ly the huge Zulu bounded off the veranda
on to the open space where Alphonse was
standing, his features alive with a sort of
malicious enthusiasm, and began swinging
the ak round and round over the French
mans head.
Then followed the most extraordinary
display of sword-or rather Of aXmanship
that ever saw. First of all the ak went
flying round and round over the top of Al
phonse's head, with such an angry whirl
o-,l tbot - Ioo1~oJ